The Price Of Beauty
by Katan Yue
Summary: The price of beauty is steep, but this is the least of Cloud's worries as he is confronted with a greater evil. Genesis x Cloud and Lazard x Cloud. Story posted with Amarissia's permission. Rated M


The Price of Beauty

* * *

By: Katan Yue

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**Important Author's Note and Disclaimer:**I do not own FFVII.This Story was inspired by a line in Amarissia's story, _"Like A Dance"._ The following lines were:

"_SOLDIERs were made, not born…New SOLDIERs were typically boys in their late teens programmed to obey superiors, many of them still lacking the kind of strength and skill that the following few years would give them. They had a sort of vulnerability to them, especially the beautiful ones. It seemed almost fated that someone take advantage of that."_

When I read those lines I thought they suited Cloud much better. Amarissia agreed with me and thus the idea came to life. I post this piece of fan fiction with Amarissia's permission. If anyone stumbles upon this piece first and happens to like it, _**I encourage you to read Amarissia's story "Like a dance."**_ Her story centers around the relationships forged between Genesis x Zack, Lazard x Zack, and Angeal x Zack. Again, this story is rated **M**ature for a reason. Although this story contains non-con with a fourteen year-old minor, I **do not** condone or promote such activities. This is a piece of fictional literature and should be accepted as just that –a piece of fan fiction literature. With these words, I let you enjoy the story.

* * *

**I**t had been a few months since Angeal had pinned both of them as the culprit behind the inexplicable resignation of handsome yet promising cadets. It had been a few months since their little blunder with Angeal's little puppy, Zack, had caused severed ties with his childhood friend Genesis and the slowly decaying work relationship with Director Lazard. Angeal had been very clear with them, if any other inexplicable resignations occurred, he would rip open their little secret. And so, their little game had come to an unexpected halt.

A few months back, Angeal had taken his little broken puppy, Zack, to the far away retreat of Anzen. This occurrence had left the field open for the cunning Director to exploit. Losing no time, SOLDIER'S director was already risking his neck and reputation once more. They couldn't stop this. It was like a drug. It was beyond their control. And as the old age saying taught, old habits really did die hard.

Now that Angeal and his mutt were stationed in Anzen, the thrill of another conquest became a temptation too sweet to resist. Lazard had locked himself up in his office for three hours straight now and nothing would move him from his desk until he found what he was looking for. His secretary had begun to express some concern and insisted that the director take a small break, but the blonde director had refused to and instead he had locked himself alone inside his office and refused to acknowledge everything else. The Director of SOLDIER was growing impatient even as he poured through each and every file in his desk with a usual cool and collected demeanor.

He knew very well what he was doing, but to any person snooping needlessly around his wide desk, it would appear that the Executive Director of SOLDIER was evaluating the promotions of the new Shin-Ra SOLDIER recruits. It wasn't unheard of to have the stubborn man remain in his desk until the paperwork for the day was done. Everyone respected him, his seriousness, and the patient, gentle demeanor he exhibited towards his colleagues. No one would ever suspect that in reality, the respected director was searching for a new victim for his extracurricular activities as manager of SOLDIER alongside Genesis.

One of Lazard's white, gloved hands came to rest at the bridge of his nose as the blonde director sighed tiredly. This was beginning to prove a more daunting task than he had originally anticipated. It had been quite a few months since their last conquest game had taken place and both Genesis and he were beginning to grow frustratingly restless for another appetizing little body. Neither Genesis nor Lazard had been able to find just the right candidate to appease their hidden, animalistic desires and their recorded encounters weren't cutting the mustard either.

Both men needed a more excitement in their lives. They needed a warm body and a fresh scent. They craved for a warm, moist, tight passage that would take them to a state of absolute bliss; that would relieve some of the stress accumulated. But this was hard to accomplish as most of the new recruits were young -barely in their late teens and early twenties, but that wasn't the problem. The real problem lay in the recruits' roughed-up physique and their often rugged appearance with not the slightest hint of finesse or delicate features that both the Director and the 1st Class SOLDIER preferred.

* * *

It was getting harder to concentrate on anything other than the caving for a beautiful body. Genesis was also beginning to get moody lately……and that wasn't a good sign. Genesis was reckless and hard to control if his _needs_ weren't satisfied or met. Lazard had once suggested that Genesis find one of the many girls from his fan clubs in order to get some release, it would be a lot easier for Genesis, certainly a lot easier than it would be for the recluse Lazard, but the reckless warrior had replied that he preferred _**boys only**_.

There it was again –that hazy mist of lust and need. It was clouding his mind and inhibiting his ability to think and focus properly. The hot, fleshy organ between his legs was beginning to stir. The thought of masturbation crossed his mind for a moment, but he pushed it away as a form of punishment for his body. He would not succumb to anything until he found just the right candidate.

If there were just one person appealing enough……If he could just concentrate long enough to……If he could just……

And his resolve didn't last as long as he would have wanted it to last. More that half a year without sex was beginning to take a toll on his sanity. Quickly, he reached the persistent bulge inside his pants without hesitance after releasing it from the constraint of his pants. He thought about a young cadet with soft, black hair. He thought about those haunting mako-colored eyes and the fear and shame they had expressed at the mention of ventilating the "willingness" of his eager body to his mentor. Of course it had been a lie. They had stolen _that_ kind pleasure from his unwilling body. They weren't stupid enough to ventilate something like that, but _**FUCK**_……the older teen had been so fucking tight. Lazard could still remember that small detail vividly, and there, under the security of his desk, the director stroked the hot and swollen member with one hand. The fluid motions went up and down, up and down as he added the right combination of pressure that would give him quick release. He increased the speed of his stroking motions until his mouth issued a silent cry of release and hot semen gushed out of the tip. It was a good thing he always kept moist towelettes for such purpose.

* * *

After his release, Lazard rested his head on the desk. At this rate, perhaps he and Genesis would have to settle with any young cadet that came their way. He pondered despondently at the thought of getting an "average" cadet, but if they kept celibate for one more day without a possible candidate……

It was the gentle _thud_ of a file hitting the newly waxed floor that stirred the Director from his sour reverie. Tired blue eyes looked at the file on the floor with little excitement. Lazard had even considered leaving the file there on the floor for somebody else to pick up before he took notice of the photographs strewn across the floor. It was perfect. The recruit on the picture was perfect. Everything about the boy in the picture was perfect –the intensity and shyness of his sky blue eyes, the color of his flaxen hair, the shape of his delicate face, and the almost sweet, shy expression.

"AT LAST!" He cried proudly and victoriously. At last he had found someone worthy of their attention. How could he have missed the file? It was as if Gaia were guiding them in the right direction. Perhaps he _could_ remain celibate for just a few more days until he could make all the arrangements he needed to cover their tracks. It always helped to be extra careful when playing this game because the promise of holding a rare beauty like that in his arms was far too great to resist.

A wicked smile crept upon Lazard's thin lips. In all his years as Director of SOLDIER, he had come across some of the most beautiful cadets in history; however, the one in the picture was certainly able to shatter that mold. If he let this one go intact it might take years before finding another exceptional beauty like the one in the picture -if they were lucky enough.

Lazard gathered the papers quickly but took his time piecing together each part of file carefully and in order while reading the information written in each piece of white paper. Cloud Strife was the boy's name.

_Excellent_………

There was another twisted smile, this one wider than the last. He would have to tell Genesis of his new discovery. Too bad the 1st Class SOLDIER was out on a mission, though. Well, at least he had a little more time to follow and ensnare their new victim...

* * *

Cloud was a freshly recruited trooper at the tender age of fourteen. He had lied about his age in order to get into the SOLDIER program and had claimed sixteen to be safe, because someone as young as fourteen would have never been admitted into the training program to begin with. How in all Gaia had somebody been so inept as to believe a lie like the one he'd spewed to be admitted into the program after looking at his extremely winsome, boyish face was beyond his comprehension. No questions asked. No proof required. And just like that, he had been admitted into SHIN-RA.

The first week into the program, the meek blonde came to realize how tough the program was going to get. It was like living in hell. They were trained night and day and in all types of weather, and then they had to be ready at the crack of dawn for even more training. Sometimes his body was sore and sometimes it was bruised and bloodied from all the training they had to do. Their officers had been very clear to them. There was no mommy to pamper them or lick their wounds. Some time into the training program and Cloud was trying his hardest to get used to all of his new daily routines and training. He had matured a lot, at least enough to become self sufficient at his tender age, but by all his god-given rights, Cloud was still an impressionable child.

Mostly, the new recruits were employed as slaves. They did all the hard work of carrying and transporting; the kind of hard, back-breaking labor that everyone higher than a regular grunt despised. His job was hard at times and excruciating, but the boy was tough despite his small appearance.

Cloud realized that his physical appearance was a huge problem for him at times. The spiky-haired youth was very beautiful and delicate for a male and he often attracted the unwanted attention of perverted men. Even back then, when he had been just a child, the price of beauty had been steep. He had been both blessed and cursed by beauty. Yes, beauty was a treacherous mistress. To some, she gave no beauty. To others she only gave average ness while others weren't so lucky. Only those people that managed to gain her interest were blessed by insurmountable amounts of attractiveness and exquisiteness.

And beauty, like most other gracing assets, was a double edged sword. While others were merely content just by seeing beauty, others sought to possess beauty by force. It was a dangerous game to play; especially if everyone else felt jealous and bullied you because of it. Cloud had learned that important lesson at a very tender age. He learned it from the boys who called him queer and fag. He learned it from the girls who were mean and spiteful. He learned it from the many kidnapping attempts. Perhaps there were still more bitter lessons for him to learn since beauty wanted to make a statement –it was better to possess a normal beauty than to have an outstanding one.

Cloud remembered the first time he set foot in Shin-Ra, when a few people had tried to bully him and molest him, but he put up such an amazingly strong resistance that no one else had dared to approach the feisty youth ever since. After that incident he kept to himself. He talked to almost no one and he made as little eye contact as possible. The troopers' conservative uniform helped him out a lot. The uniform was stiff and the clothing covered up his lanky body in layers and layers of bulky cloth and leather.

"STRIFE!" The superior for all troopers called the boy into his office. "You've got a new assignment, Strife."

"Yes, Sir." Cloud acknowledged with a salute.

"You are to help Director Lazard move some stuff from his office at his request, understood, cadet?"

"Yes, Sir!"

Satisfied with the youth's answer, the superior proceeded to give him the details before giving him one last piece of advice. "And don't botch this assignment, understood?" The blonde cadet understood and nodded.

"Now, **GET OUT**." The superior instructed. _Sigh_…The man hated being such an ass to the young cadets, especially one as hardworking as Cloud, but he realized that those runts needed to be taught some discipline while they were still young and malleable. He also acknowledged that the young cadet was probably the most hard-working cadet he'd ever gotten, but he had to admit the cadet's shyness and hesitance often got in the way enough to make him clumsy.

* * *

First Class SOLDIER Genesis Rhapsodos was in a fowl mood to say the least. He was stationed in the middle of nowhere with absolutely nothing to do. At first the mission had been stimulating. There was nothing more exhilarating than slicing his enemies with the aid of his beautiful and trusty Rapier. He reveled in the blood of his enemies. He enjoyed the coppery taste, the acidic smell, and the indulging warmth of the red, crimson liquid as it covered the battlefield and the life force was drained from the bodies of his enemies.

That much the blood thirsty warrior desired, but after a few days out on the assigned mission he had cleared the battle field and had managed to secure the place. Why he was still stationed in that barren, isolated wasteland was beyond him. He _could_ be out in the battlefield doing what he did best, but he had been ordered, by president Shinra himself, to remain in his post for three hellishly long weeks with absolutely nothing productive to do. Genesis was beginning to feel smothered by the lack of physical activity and it was driving him insane. That was the main reason that when Lazard contacted him, he was severely annoyed with the director's cheeky demeanor.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" The 1st class spat bitterly.

"No, I'm afraid I had nothing to do with you being stationed there, Genesis. It was the president's request that _you_ be sent there. Look at the bight side, Genesis; you'll be able to return in two days."

The leather-clad SOLDIER adjusted his red colored gloves and snorted –_yeah right_, like hell they'd be happy to see him back so soon.

"By the way, Genesis..." Director Lazard's voice carried a hint of amusement. "Did you take a look at the package I sent you?"

Grey-colored eyes traveled to the manila envelope he'd placed carelessly on the table just a few hours before –no doubt in contained the details of his next torturous assignment.

"I was heading for Midgar the other day when I came across a spectacular sight. Naturally, I had to take some pictures. I thought that such beautiful scenery might actually lift your sour mood, so I sent them to you……"

Genesis tore at the envelope impatiently. He retrieved the several photographs contained inside the envelope and quickly browsed through them. A beautiful sight to behold indeed –it wasn't the grand fountain or the reddish hue of the sunset that the director was referring to. It was the boy that had been casually photographed in the pictures.

The pictures had been taken in a public setting where lots of people scurried about their busy lives. There were a lot of people that day and it appeared to Genesis that the sly director had done this on purpose. That way no one would suspect. Looking at the pictures, the 1st class realized how painfully, plain the rest of the people were for the exception of that one boy. The picture wasn't centered on him, but he stood out like a true gem in the middle of fake imitations. How lovely and inviting the blonde boy's skin appeared. He wandered if it was as soft and tender as it appeared in the photographs. The boy's thin, golden hairs shone radiantly with the fading light of sunset, looking like delicate spun threads of gold. His physique was small and thin but definitely boyish in his casual civilian clothes. It was the androgyny of his attractive face that could make him appear female if he didn't wear distinctive gender-appropriate clothing.

"What do you think?" Lazard asked expectantly for an answer.

"I think I like it. I'll be expecting to see this sight upon my return, Director."

Genesis gave a half satisfied smirk. He was greatly appeased with the beautiful promise waiting for him after his return. If he knew Lazard as well as he did (which he did), the clever man had already staged the whole encounter. The First Class guessed he _could_ wait a couple of few more days in the hell hole he was stationed at, besides, it would give him plenty of time to think of the many wonderful things he would do to that promising body.

Genesis brought the Banoran apple he held in his hand closer to his face. He deeply inhaled the sweet, almost aphrodisiac smell of the unique fruit and reveled in it. He could almost taste the gorgeous blonde……

* * *

On the fourth day of Genesis' return, Cloud had been scheduled to help Director Lazard move some highly classified files from his office. The young trooper was there on time, like he always was; prepared for the task he'd been assigned by his superior.

He had never been assigned to help any of the most influential people in Shin-Ra, so the small cadet found a nervous fluttering in his stomach that he couldn't control. He didn't want to imagine making a fool out of himself in front of the director of SOLDIER. They would kick him out for sure.

He wandered what type of person the respected director of SOLDIER was. No one had seen him fight, yet he possessed the respect of even the greatest of SOLDIER operatives. Director Lazard was considered an exceptionally intelligent man. He managed his department with great care, diligence ,and careful structure –at least that was what Cloud had heard other people say. Cloud was hesitant at first. He imagined Director Lazard to be a strict and a rigid individual, but when he met SOLDIER's superior, the gentle demeanor of the director eased his nerves.

"Good afternoon, you must be Cloud."

"Good afternoon, Sir!"

Cloud's posture stiffened into a rigid salute. Lazard smiled patiently. "There is no need for such formality. If you would follow me, we should get right to work."

Cloud nodded shyly, but before he even took a single step forward, someone grabbed him forcefully from behind. "Shh……don't scream little one. Don't move." A smooth, cold voice ordered while a strong hand came up to cover up a frightened scream. Cloud was stunned at first and then the presence of fear rose like vile from his empty stomach. Panic rose in the young cadet who began to wish this was all a horrid dream.

This had happened before. Once, back in his hometown, the young blonde had been ambushed into a dark secluded alley where a few drunken men were waiting to get any type of sexual relief, but the men had been so drunk and sluggish that Cloud had been able to break free from their lecherous grasp. And by that terrible experience of fighting on his own to protect himself from any kind of danger, Cloud began to thrash violently in the first class SOLDIER's hold.

Genesis was pleasantly surprised with the young blonde's struggle. Who would have thought a skinny little runt like the one he held so possessively would have that much strength to try and fight him. Granted, his captive's weakly strength had no comparison to a SOLDIER's mako-enhanced strength, but so many of the others had been paralyzed by fear, but not this one, no. Genesis tightened his grip on the boy with such bone crushing strength that Cloud's pale face contorted with pain.

"GENESIS!" Lazard reprimanded harshly. If Genesis acted so brazenly and inflicted some kind of severe injury that curaga could not heal, then they would surely be discovered.

"_I already know."_ Genesis' glare held annoyance for the director, but like the well rehearsed dance they had danced too many times before, the auburn-haired warrior lowered his lips to the boy's ear and whispered a gentle command.

_**Sleep**_**……**

And just like that, Cloud's body felt heavy and limp like a sack of useless bricks. His eyelids drooped with intense sleep and he lost all consciousness.

* * *

When the effects of the sleep materia had worn off, Cloud woke up to the sensation of cold hands running languidly up and down his torso. Cloud's hands had been tied to the headboard with a garment made of silk. The bindings were tight; perhaps extremely tight as Cloud fought against the silky restraints.

But Cloud was alarmed and scared like a hounded animal about to be eaten when he noticed that any type of clothing that covered him below the waist had been removed. The only piece of clothing left on him was the uniform's rumpled shirt that had been pulled all the way up to his armpits.

"You really are beautiful…" Lazard commented absentmindedly while toying with one of the boy's erect nipples. "…but you seem……oddly sheltered."

Lazard had been expecting something different from the boy. He had been expecting the boy to be confident and outgoing. He had expected to see the boy using his beauty to charm his way into Shin-Ra, but he had been sorely disappointed to find out it was not the case. The boy could have played along with them willingly. He could have invited them to his warm bed in exchange for a promotion, but no, the boy had too much pride and little confidence in his beauty. That was the impression Lazard had gained while following their prey.

In the rough type of environment in which they lived it was almost impossible to find someone so delicately beautiful, shy, or modest. Handsome males within the Shin-Ra compound tended to be arrogant and two-faced. They tended to use their natural Gaia-given beauty to move up the ranks quicker than they would otherwise achieve on their own merit. Lazard had been one of them; the type of person to sell his body for a promotion. Even Zack had used his sweet, confident, but playful smiles as a charm to attain Angeal's attention, even if it had been unintentional.

"Well, he won't be sheltered for very long." Genesis assured with a devilish smirk. The hands that had once languidly explored the soft flesh of a toning torso were now coaxing the boy into a state of absolute hardness.

"No…please……n-no." The young victim repeated like a prayer. Crystal tears were running down his rosy cheeks. "No…please……s-stop." And Lazard could observe something developing in Genesis' eyes. He could see both the pleasure of corrupting the unwilling body and the annoyance from the boy's constant pleas.

"Shhh…shhh…" Lazard tried to calm their little toy. He patted the boy's soft, golden spikes. He caressed the boy's lovely face with gentle adoration. "please……no." The boy continued sobbing and something snapped inside of Genesis who glared coldly at Lazard.

"Gag him." He ordered and Lazard had to comply before the fist class hurt the teen. They could not afford to inflict any injury on the beautiful body that could potentially give them away.

* * *

"The goddess bears many gifts, little one." The auburn-haired SOLDIER explained calmly. "Beauty, in essence, can be like a gift from the goddess. She grants beauty and grace to some while she completely forsakes others."

He lowered his lips to the stiff organ and toyed with the weeping head at first. He sucked the tip of the head gently; pausing to tease the writhing body beneath him with his hands. "Do you curse your gift, little one? Do you hate the Goddess for placing you before our path? For making you beautiful? I for one am very grateful."

Genesis' expert hands were drawing the blonde closer to orgasm with firm, rapid strokes. There was a hint of malice in the 1st class SOLDIER's eyes when he watched the blonde arch sharply beneath him. It was with a muffled cry that the captive Cloud expressed his release.

Unfortunately, Genesis was not done with the spent boy. He grabbed the lubricant bottle that Lazard had tossed onto the bed and spread a thick coating against the boy's entrance.

"Ooh…you're very tense." Genesis taunted with a cruel smile. "If you relax, it'll hurt less."

There was something that excited the spiteful SOLDIER, yet he could not pinpoint exactly what aroused him. Maybe the reason that he was excited was because the terrified blonde was writhing with both pain and pleasure. He was aroused by the silent begging and the pleas for him to stop. Yes, the boy's eyes were very expressive. The crystal clear cerulean eyes were like an open book for Genesis to read.

But in his mind's eye, Genesis could imagine plotting his revenge by using Angeal's puppy again. If his meddling old friend hadn't spirited Zack away into the vastness of Wutai, Genesis would have claimed that appetizing body again and again. He would probably terrorize that boy's fragile sanity until Angeal's pup would kill himself. Yes, that would be the perfect revenge against his meddling old friend.

But then again, he needed to concentrate on the delicate blonde before him. He needed to appreciate the frailty of his beauty before taking everything away. With a single powerful trust, Genesis penetrated the boy. It was exactly as Genesis had predicted, the fragile body was incredibly hot and tight around him.

"FUCK……his ass is tight……" Genesis' thrusts became deeper and faster; hitting Cloud's prostate with such dead panned accuracy that it had their victim convulsing and struggling against the velvet bindings from the unwanted pleasure.

"He's tighter than puppy!" The auburn-haired soldier announced with a cry of excitement.

Genesis was boasting to his partner in crime with a cruel smile. He knew how eager Lazard was watching from the shadows with a desperate and hungry look. It was obvious that the calm and collected Director had his eye on the blonde's appetizing little body. Soon it would be his turn to play, but for the time being, Genesis was enjoying Lazard's misery.

And then the answer hit him like an all time epiphany. He was just plain cruel and vindictive. He enjoyed toying with others, he enjoyed the pain and misery he inflicted upon the virgin body. He even enjoyed stealing such purity away and replacing it with the filth of his Mako-tainted semen.

With a satisfied cry and after riding out his orgasm, the cruel soldier pulled out of his young victim's shivering, trembling body. There on the bed and marring the beautiful peach colored skin was a mixture of cum, blood, and lubricant.

"Your turn." Genesis announced nonchalantly as if nothing important had happened.

"Cure…"

With a simple cast of Cure level one, Lazard had fixed the physical damage temporarily. Unlike Genesis' brashness, Lazard liked to consider himself the gentle savior or a protector of sorts. That would seduce his victim into a state of fake trust. With a tranquilized and docile victim, the director would be able to do anything he wanted.

"Shhh……" Lazard carefully and gently hushed his young victim's whimpers. "Everything will be all right." He patted the crying blonde who was trembling in fear.

"If you'll be quiet." Lazard promised. "I'll be able to take the binds away."

Lazard's words were poisoned honey. "I'll protect you. I'll make sure you'll feel good again." His words were so soft and soothing that it almost gave Cloud a sense of fake security.

At any rate, Cloud was too tired to fight; he was too terrified to do anything. He knew that he was too small to fight against two grown men like the director and the revered and renowned first class.

With lost blue eyes, Cloud watched wearily as the Director of SOLDIER untied the piece of crimson silk bound around his damaged wrists. He watched the gag as it was removed from his mouth. Still, he was too tired to fight and even more terrified to move while Lazard proceeded to ravage him.

Lazard's voice was gentle and comforting and fake. He whispered sweet nothings in the boy's ear while demanding full cooperation.

It was the director's larger, heavier hands that roamed all over the petite, shivering body. It was his hot cock that was tearing the young boy from the inside out. Cloud wanted to scream, but his throat felt raw. He wanted to run away but he was too sore and tired as the larger, taller man held him in a strong grip.

Lazard didn't last very long before he reached orgasm and spilled inside the boy. There was a long moment of silence while Lazard regained enough strength to pull out of the hot passage to begin the cleansing procedure that would wipe away any trace of their sinful play.

"I'll take him to the shower while you clean the room. Oh, and I'll convince him to keep quiet so that he'll never speak a word about tonight."

The director was surprised to have Genesis volunteer to do something he never really did. With an accepting nod he allowed the brash SOLDIER to take hold of the small teenager.

"Come on, little kitten." There was a hint of malice in Genesis' voice as he carried the limp, abused body under the hot spray of the shower.

"It's time to erase all evidence of tonight's dance."

Cloud, who had been drowsy before, awakened to the cleansing feel of the hot water against his skin and the unpleasant touch of Genesis' cold hands.

It was happening again; that unpleasant feeling combined with fear for his life as a bruising grip was placed on his shoulders.

"If you speak to anyone about tonight, no one is going to believe a lying runt like you."

Genesis was cruel with his words and with his actions. He looked into those panicked blue orbs as he held the minor against the cold tiles of the wall.

"If you tell anyone about tonight…" Genesis' hands moved from the lean shoulders to the slender neck. "_I will kill you_, but before that…" One hand released the strong hold on the young trooper's neck and glided down the shivering body until he brushed the boy's entrance with one rough movement. "_I'll take you again, and again, and again_."

Cloud released a single whimper of fear before he was shoved roughly out of Genesis' way.

"You have ten minutes to get showered, dressed, and to get out of my sight before I kill you." And as if to punctuate his threat, the impatient SOLDIER shoved the trooper further against the cold tiles.

* * *

He had always admired SOLDIER officials. Since childhood, his dreams had revolved around the SOLDIER program and becoming a proud elite SOLDIER like Sephiroth so that he could protect everyone dearest to him. In his wildest dreams, Cloud had even dreamt about meeting Shin-Ra's legendary first class SOLDIER, Sephiroth, the most renowned hero of all times.

When he had left his home in the rural area of Nibelheim with eyes bright and an eager expression upon his face, Cloud had never imagined that his dreams would be shattered in such a monstrous way. Everything physical and spiritual had been taken away from him. There were no sweet, innocent dreams of glory, only the harsh, cruel, cold reality of the evil inside Soldier. Yes, those who were supposed to serve and protect the general population were monsters. He couldn't return to his home like that. Now he was tainted. Everyone would know, everyone would notice. How could he return to Tifa and to his mother in that filthy state?

He felt dirty and worthless. He wanted to scrub his skin raw until no trace of that incident remained. The man named Genesis was right, no one would believe a lowly and nameless trooper over the trustworthiness a SOLDIER had.

The long trek to the barracks was different from before. Cloud's eyes were bloodshot from all the crying and his body was till sore and bruised. It had only been a few minutes since he had left that horrible place and he didn't know what to do, where to go, or how to react. He was only fourteen for Gaia's sake!

In a moment of overwhelming desperation the young, blonde trooper sought a quick escape. The open pane in the building's structure became the golden opportunity for leaving everything behind. If Cloud sought redemption, then that might be his only chance. Gathering a little bit of courage, the petite trooper jumped like a precious caged bird seeking some long-awaited freedom.

………_and then, the broken little bird extended its tiny tattered wings and plunged into the endless abyss of freedom and unending darkness_………

* * *

Sephiroth barely had enough time to catch the distraught teenager. It was with an amazing display of speed and agility that the silver-haired hero jumped out after the teenager before taking the small body into custody and landing dexterously on the rooftop of the adjacent building.

It had been a close one, Sephiroth realized. If he had been even a split second late the young teenager would have certainly fallen to his early death. With a quizzical look, the legendary SOLDIER looked at the young trooper cradled safely in his arm.

"What were you doing up there? That area is restricted to SOLDIER operatives only."

But before Sephiroth could get an answer, the body he'd been holding safely in his arms stiffened. The change was so sudden and with so much vehemence that Sephiroth was stunned momentarily.

"Let me go! D-don't touch me…please"

Then the youth burst into uncontrollable sobs right before Midgar's legendary Hero.

"…let me go…"

Sephiroth who had been holding tightly to the frightened trooper's wrist was left speechless. No one had ever cried in front of him like that, with so much fright and desperation. Was he that different?

When the frightened, sobbing blonde reached with his other hand to try and pry his captive hand away from Sephiroth's, the older SOLDIER noticed the blackening bruise marring the youth's fair skin.

Sephiroth's smoky green eyes widened when he realized that the young boy was reacting just the same way his friend's pupil, Zack, had acted after the rape.

"I will not touch you." Sephiroth felt oddly awkward. His voice was far from the condoling tone his friend Angeal had used to soothe Zack's frenzied state into a trusting one. "Nothing will happen to you. I will protect you from Lazard and Genesis."

Sephiroth watched carefully as the boy in front of him paused. He carefully watched the boy's shocked expression before continuing. "This is not the first time it has happened." He informed the blonde.

A fresh wave of tears washed over the hesitant blonde. It pained Sephiroth to realize that his old friend, Genesis, had not changed; that he was back to his old tricks again.

"Why me?" the small trooper wandered out-loud with a sob. Sephiroth exhaled deeply. He couldn't tell the young trooper that the sole reason something like that had been done to him was because he was absolutely beautiful; or because he suited his friend's taste.

"I don't know." Sephiroth answered solemnly.

Part of him felt guilty for attending a mandatory meeting with Shin-ra's president when he should have been keeping a careful watch on Lazard and Genesis. He had failed his friend, his friend's pupil, and the innocent victim standing before him.

"We have to report this to the proper authorities." Sephiroth's hold on the boy relaxed a little. "But…to prevent retaliation…you should stay with me for a short period of time, at least, until this matter has settled."

To Sephiroth's surprise, the boy who had acted so recklessly by jumping out the thirteenth story building was now a little bit more calm and collected. With a hesitant nod, the petite teen followed his savior.

* * *

After taking the boy back to his living quarters for protection and giving the frightened teen some sedatives to make him rest, Sephiroth took out his black, sleek cell phone and dialed his friend's number. He had a lot to explain.

* * *

**The End**

* * *

_Thank you for reading this story! _

_Love,_

_Katan Y_


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